A mandate requiring New York City teachers and other school staff members to get the COVID-19 vaccine went into effect, marking one of the first U.S. school district mandates requiring employees to be inoculated.
On Oct. 1, Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat, warned the city’s 150,000 public school workers that unvaccinated employees would be placed on unpaid leave and wouldn’t be allowed to work. The mandate went into effect that afternoon, meaning that all teachers and workers would have to have received at least one dose by the morning of Oct. 4.
Michael Mulgrew of the United Federation of Teachers said that about 97 percent of its members have received one dose of the vaccine.
According to data provided by the city as of Oct. 1, 98 percent of principals, 93 percent of teachers, and 90 percent of Department of Education workers have received at least one dose.
Meanwhile, city schools chancellor Meisha Porter told the news outlet that she doesn’t expect the mandate to trigger a teacher or staffing shortage.
“We have more subs that are vaccinated than unvaccinated, teachers and our superintendents have been working with our principals to develop plans to ensure our students get the education and continue to get the education they deserve in person,” Porter said.
However, Mark Cannizzaro, president of the Council of Schools Supervisors and Administrators, said that some principals in New York City were having trouble finding enough staff to replace teachers who aren’t vaccinated.
A similar mandate for teachers and school staff is scheduled to go into effect in Los Angeles on Oct. 15.
A group of teachers and other employees filed a lawsuit against the citywide mandate, asking the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene. Justice Sonia Sotomayor denied the request on Oct. 1.
